To assure the quality of the

public drinking water in anticipation of future water sources being established

Council and Mayor Betty Hannah saw fit to pass the Bear Creek Water Supply

Watershed Protection Ordinance at their February 23 meeting.

Stormwater runoff, nature's

way of filling up the water supply, can be threatened by many factors.

Unrestricted development, land-disturbing activities, utility construction

and commercial or residential usage can all be deterrents to this natural

system's ability to function. Impervious surfaces like roads, driveways,

parking lots, decks, swimming pools, patios and even buildings themselves

can prevent infiltration of storm water or introduce toxins, nutrients

and sediment into drinking water supplies.

The seven page document made

it crystal clear what was expected of developers, public works employees

and private individuals who find themselves working inside the seven-mile

drainage basin. Buffers to protect the streams and corridors, setbacks

for septic tanks and impervious surfaces plus several other listed restrictions

will ensure that enemies of the ecosystem such as hazardous waste will

be well guarded against.

As for any new hazardous waste

treatment or disposal facilities being created in the future, they have

been strictly prohibited by the Bear Creek Ordinance. However, new sanitary

landfills will be allowed if they have synthetic liners in place and leachate

collection systems. The leachate system uses a collection pipe buried

beneath a layer of stone or gravel.

Exemptions are confined to

land uses existing prior to the adoption of the new ordinance, mining

activities in compliance with the Surface Mining Act, unavoidable utility

projects, forestry activities and agricultural activities. Stiff penalties

apply to those who violate these rules, from $250 to $1000 per violation

for each day the violation exists.

Minimizing the transport of

pollutants and sediments into the Bear Creek water supply watershed is

just another step toward South Fulton weaning itself from Atlanta's

dwindling water sources.